


Abnormal

by A_Potato_In_A_Minefield



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 18:02:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19067797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Potato_In_A_Minefield/pseuds/A_Potato_In_A_Minefield
Summary: Dawn is a thief. Sixteen years old. No dad. No mom.Andy is a prince. Seventeen years old. Mom long missing. Distant dad.What do they have in common?A secret that could end their lives.





	1. Morning

_ I'm five, playing behind the castle with my red Alaskan husky puppy. She lays in the grass in front of me, sniffing the ground so much I'm surprised it doesn't get sucked up her nostrils. "Okay," I say, "roll over!" She stops sniffing the ground to look up at me, then sneezes, and runs off barking. "Hey," I call, laughing, "come back!" Jenna runs into the trees, and the underbrush of the nearby forest, and I chase after her. "Jenna! Come back!" "Hunter?" A familiar voice, half calls, half asks. So familiar, and for some reason makes me sad, whose voice-then I see her. Standing in a patch of sunlight shining through a break in the branches overhead, it shines on her fiery red hair, and it looks like she has a halo of light. Her light skin seems to glow, almost as bright as her emerald eyes always did. "Mom-" my voice catches on a sob, "how..." I try to ask, but the question refuses to form. "I'm so sorry I haven't been around Andy, but I am alive. You've been so strong, my little Hunter." I reach out for her, but then she just vanishes, and everything goes white. _

My eyes snap open to find nothing but darkness, with the exception of the red glow of 5:17, to the right. I calm down, and stop gasping for breath. Slowly my senses come back to me. I haven't dreamt about Mom in forever. She's been  _ gone _ for thirteen years, it's been twelve since they declared her dead. I used to hold out hope that there was another reason for her abandoning dad and me, especially after I started having that dream, but kids grow up. I realized it was just a dream. An impossible wish, and Mom was never coming back. Once I accepted that the dreams stopped.  _ Until now _ ... I wonder about why that is, but interrupt myself as I notice my face is wet.

I wipe some of the moisture off of on my pointer finger, and look at it. I don't see anything, and so I taste it. I'm surprised to find it salty and wet, then again, what else could I have possibly been expecting, but I haven't cried in years. Then again, I haven't dreamt about Mom in years either. I wipe my face off with my forearm as I swing my legs out of bed.

It only takes a couple of minutes till I'm dressed in jeans, a simple t-shirt, and a worn brown leather jacket. Jenna stretches, trots over to me, and licks me in the face since I'm bent over to tie my shoes. "Jenna!" I whisper-shout, "Come on!" I wipe her saliva off my face, and onto her back. There are streaks of grey starting to run through her fiery fur. "You're getting old aren't you?" I say, as I stroke her head. She growls at this comment, and backs away, giving me a look. "Oh, you don't like that do you? Face it, you are a thirteen year old dog, that's like eighty in dog years." She turns around as if to say, "Talk to the butt."

"Fine, I'm sorry. You're practically a puppy, you look so young."

At this she comes back, tail wagging, and licks me right in the face! Again! "Jenna!" I wipe the saliva from my face again, this time with my sleeve, and open the window I've been sitting on the ledge of this whole time.

Jenna jumps up with her front paws onto the ledge. "Jenna," exasperation has reached my voice now, "I don't doubt that you can climb down with me, but you can't climb back up." Jenna gives me another look, sometimes I swear she's a human in a dog's body. "Ok, you can get back up too, but you could break a leg. It's really dangerous for a dog. She whimpers, backs away, barks, -quietly, thank goodness,- and jumps onto my bed, to my dresser, to on top of the armoire. She circles once before curling up with her head laying behind her tail. She looks over the top at me. I roll my eyes,  _ show off _ , before climbing out the window onto the roof, and pull it as close to closed as it can get, and still stick out a little so I can open it from the outside later. I check my watch, 5:22.  _ Alright, I have two and a half hours _ . I think to myself.

I make my way across the roof to a large tree, that has a branch that hangs about one foot over the roof, and a few feet above it. Jumping, I grab the branch and pull myself on it, with the ease that can only be attained through familiarity built with years of practice. I climb through the branches, and jump from the lowest one to the ground. I land with a thump, but perfectly on my feet. Carefully, I make my way over to the part of the castle walls with the stables, and sneak out that way. It leads right into the forest, exactly where I'm trying to go. I follow the road for a couple minutes before turning straight into the trees. I follow a deer run, a path worn into the underbrush from the constant repeated use, which leads me right to the stream. I continue to follow the stream till it takes me to my pond. It's nice, calm, beautiful, and best of all, secluded. I take a deep breath, and hang my jacket on a branch. The brisk fall wind chills my arms, but I ignore it, and rub my hands together. Really quick I look all around, searching for prying eyes, at one point I hear branches rustling and breaking, but find that the source of the sound is nothing more than a squirrel. Satisfied I'm all alone I raise my arms, and get ready to practice. Still, I can't help but feel like I'm being watched.

Then again, I think everyone committing a crime considered treason, and punishable by death, feels like they're being watched.

Even the prince.


	2. Late Night, Early Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dawn: “Stupid abs!”

I glance at my watch, 4:30. I take it off, and put it back on as tight as I can. It's still hangs loosely, the face of the clock staring at the ground.  _ Dad had the wrist of a giant _ . I start to zone out some, but pull my focus back to the here and now. I should just call it a night. The bar crowd has either all headed home, or passed out inside. Tonight's been alright. My pockets are practically full, and it's hard to walk without clinking. Why do we have coin based currency anyways? In school they taught that North American countries had pretty much all switched over to fully paper currency by 2100 AD, but of course, everything changed after "World War III," or the Nuclear War, as most call it. I know I should leave, but,  _ just one more pocket, and I'll go _ , I tell myself. It's so easy, I'm so used to it, I don't even have to think about it as I bump into him, and pinch his wallet, sticking out of his back pocket. Sometimes, I wish I wasn't so good. If I had had to think about it, I might have noticed the small silver badge on his belt, glinting slightly in the bit of light coming from the bar. I make it two steps before- "Hey, you! Stop, you thief!" He gives chase, and it's a good thing I'm already running.

One advantage of picking Jeff's as my spot to pickpocket: it's right next to the forest. I tear straight into the trees before I find my small hole in a large pile of boulders. A few feet after I exit my personal tunnel, I hit my deer run, and keep on running. I don't slow until I can't hear him anymore, and that's when I realize I don't recognize where I am.

_ Must have accidentally turned onto some other deer run that branches off of mine _ , I think. Should I turn around, and find my way back? Or see where this goes? I continue to follow the path.

I've always enjoyed exploring the woods, preferably alone, because whenever Dad came- I stop myself. He's gone and I need to move on.  _ If you had moved on you would have sold that priceless watch on your wrist _ , a voice in my mind says, as I look at the too big, silver thing, the glass still intact. It's called a Rolex, a brand from before the NW. Everything changed after, even the dating system. We considered the year the bombs hit: 1 A.N.W. (after nuclear war.) I absentmindedly follow the small, naturally worn path, to a stream, and I follow that till I come across a large tree, overlooking a pond. I bend to the pond's surface, and get a drink. As I stand I feel how tired I am. I look at the tree, "As good a place as any to sleep, and it's not like anyone's expecting me back 'home.'"

I pull myself into the tree, and find a spot where two large branches jut out from the same spot, and some smaller on either side, to act as a sort of railing. I stick my legs out in front of me resting them on one of the two branches, and lean back against the trunk. It's like I'm sitting in a nature made recliner.

Feeling the fall wind, I zip up my jacket, and pull my arms inside, and let myself slowly drift off. The sounds of the forest carry me off to sleep.

I wake to the sound of some snapping branches. After the branches that woke me, I don't hear anything else out of the ordinary-for the most part- whoever I'm hearing is used to the woods. I can't see them, and I sleepily wonder why that is, before I realized I haven't opened my eyes yet.

I crack them open, and look around. I see a man, or boy, looks like he's my age or older, and I have to admit, I think he's hot. He has jet black hair, cobalt blue eyes with more colors I can't see from this distance, but then I realize, his eyes look the same color blue I dye my streak.

I should explain real quick, I have a natural grey streak running through my hair. I wasn't born with it, but it simply  _ appeared _ when I was six. Ever since the NW, abnormals, or abnos, people with spectacular abilities, began to appear. Their abilities were insanely varied, and there was seemingly no correlation to who became one. Like in the comic books, some people used them to rob banks, or murder people to settle a score. When this started to happen people would band together, hunt them down, and kill them any way they could.

As the NW became further and further in the past new governments started to take control, and order was restored to the world. However, people continued to hunt down people with powers,  _ anyone _ with powers. It reached a point where it didn't matter to them if they did anything bad with them, if they had powers, people would kill them, and no governments would stop or punish these executioners of the innocent and guilty alike. Those in charge were just as scared of what abnos could do with their powers. Eventually, abnos had had enough, most those being hunted were innocent, and one of them by the name of Darius Fir, formed a group, or army, of abnos called the Immortals. Ever since they've been waging war on Farledaine, and rumor has it, other countries as well. Gracem, Caliton, Missiridy, you name it. Not many know if these rumors are true though, because few travel anymore. Many roads have been repaired since the bombs hit, but it was practically impossible to travel far for a while after that. People got used to not being able to go anywhere far, and even now, 100 years after the bombs, when most roads- in North America- have been repaired, few own cars, and fewer travel.

Anyways, ever since abnos arose, anyone with birth defects, physical ones, have been labeled freaks, and everyone always whispers about how they're probably an abno. For me it was worse than most, they whispered I probably was one because of not just my silver streak, but also- other reasons. Good reasons.

I got tired of the ridicule, the whispers, the people talking behind my back. So, I dyed it blue, and that was the end of it.

The mystery guy down below comes to a stop a few feet from the pond. Then he takes off his jacket, revealing toned muscled arms to match the rest of him. As he hangs his jacket in the branch of a tree I think,  **_now the shirt._ ** _ Dawn! No! What is wrong with you?!  _ **_Come on, you know you were thinking it._ ** _ Of course I was, these are my thoughts after all, but I don't want to be thinking those kind of thoughts!  _ **_Too late. He looks like he has a six pack under that shirt doesn't he?_ ** _ Oh my word! Shut up, hormones! Ugh!  _ The guy looks up suddenly, and all around as if looking for something, or someone.  _ I didn't make any noise, did I?  _ A few feet to my left branches start rustling, and moving, and I practically fall out of the tree! Luckily, I catch myself, and manage to keep from hitting the ground seven feet bellow. The squirrel that almost caused me to fall, scurries up the branch of my tree it's on, and jumps to the branch of another. The guy bellow clearly noticed the disturbance, but he sees the squirrel- and not me, whew- and calms down. He walks over to the pond, and puts out a hand. I guess the wind blows, another autumn breeze, because the surface of the water begins to move, only I don't feel anything. Then he takes his hand from in front of him, to near his left thigh, then raises it back up, turning it where the width of his hand was perpendicular to the ground. I almost lost my grip on the branch I was holding as I leaned out to see him, but, luckily, I retightened my grip just in time.  _ Oh. My. Word. Oh! My! Word! Oh my word! Ohmywordohmywordohmywordohmyword!!!An abno! Looks like his power is to manipulate water.  _ He continued to practice his ability, seemingly undisturbed.  _ Well, looks like he didn't notice my-almost- fall. What should I do?  _ You were supposed to report an abno the second you saw one use their powers, everyone knew that, especially with the war, they could be spies of the Immortals, but that wasn't an option right now. The only other person for at least a few miles was this abno, and it's not like they give us cells at the the foster home. Then again, even if I could call someone, should I? It's not like he's hurting anyone, and the punishment simply for being an abno was death. I should know, after- no. I couldn't think about that right now, or ever. I couldn't call anyone, or let anyone know what was going on in any other way, and it's not like I could just climb down the tree and walk away. The abno would hear and see me, and know that I had seen him using his powers. Spy, or not, he would know that if I told anyone about him, he'd be executed. So, I sat in the tree, and continued to watch him practicing his abilities.

He seemed to be getting a pretty good workout because he was working up a pretty good sweat, his forehead was glistening and his shirt was drenched from more than just water. He stopped and stepped back from the pond turning around, facing my direction and I could see his six pack through the wet shirt.  **_Come on,_ ** a part of my mind I am embarrassed of urged,  **_take that shirt off! Take, it, off! Take, it, off! Take, it, off!_ ** _ Oh, my word! Shut up, me! _

My attention quickly shot outward as his hands gripped the bottom of his shirt, and he started to lift. Inch by inch, slowly (the slow part may have just been in my head, but for me, it was happening in slow motion,) revealing the rows of his six pack, one at a time. I started to feel all tingly, and as he finished pulling his shirt over his head I felt the need to avert my eyes.

This was just in time to realize that I had forgotten to hold on to the branch as I watched. I grasped at it as quickly as I could, but it was too late.

I hit the ground with a thump, although luckily I had had enough time to make sure I landed right. The-now shirtless- abno instantly whipped his head in my direction, with a look of utter surprise. I was now close enough to see that those cobalt blue eyes also had flecks of emerald green, and hazel in them. I noticed this in the split second that we made eye contact right before I bolted away as fast as I could.

There was NO WAY I was giving him enough time to regain his senses. For all I knew he could be dangerous! He could try to kill me for seeing his powers, so as I ran I full on sprinted as fast as my legs could carry me. I didn't know where I was going-I hadn't taken the deer run because then it would have been a lot harder to lose him- but I knew that I couldn't stop till I knew I had lost him for certain.

At first I hadn't heard any signs of pursuit, but in the time that it takes a person to regain their sense after seeing a girl randomly fall from the sky in the middle of nowhere-in other words a good solid ten seconds- I did hear branches whipping, and twigs snapping, and leaves crunching.  _ I hope he doesn't have any tracking skills!  _ I thought, a little worried. The economy of this young kingdom wasn't insanely stable, and it wasn't uncommon for those who couldn't always make ends meet to hunt a little to get enough food to put on the table. As, I was running, near the start of the chase I chanced a look back, and saw the abno running after me, not like I thought anyone or thing else was. He thrusted his arm out towards me a couple times, and yelled, "Wait! Please! It's not what it looks like!"

I was taking no chances, and luckily I was faster. It helped that he happened to accidentally run into a tree at one point. The smacking sound sounded painful, and I happened to look back, which was risky, but worth it. I gave a little laugh as I sprinted away at the sight of him sprawled on his back, a hand to his head. By instinct, I felt guilty for laughing at his pain, but then I remembered he may, or may not be trying to kill me, and the guilt subsided.

Once I had put plenty of distance between the two of us, I slowed, and came to a stop. I looked around at my unfamiliar surroundings. I had always thought I had a great sense of direction, looked like it was time to put it to the test.


	3. Darn trees!

_ Oh, my head!  _ I think, with my hand on my forehead as if it can suppress the pain. I try to get up quickly, but my head spins and I fall back down again.

I try pulling her back with my powers again. Still no luck. It's weird, I can feel the water inside her, in the blood, in the gutt, like there is inside off everyone, but when I try to pull it-and thus, her- back, nothing happens.

Maybe it's a good thing it didn't work, what would I have done if I had caught her? Kill her? I shudder at the thought. It may have been the only surefire way to protect my secret, but I would refuse to be like other abnos. To be evil.

Not that I've met any abnos, but I've heard of them doing many terrible things, (waging war on my country included) and Dad had told me about how they were nothing but evil, not even humans anymore what with their abnormalities. He told me many stories about different abnos, and terrible things they did, and about the ones with physical abnormalities that gave them away. Some had fangs, or red skin, or claws, or spines, or wings, or were pale and faceless with long slender limbs (that last one happened only once, but people have been reporting sighting him since before the NW.)

Dad always hated abnos, but it wasn't till Mom disappeared in what he was convinced was an abnos caused incident, that he has preached his hatred of them to me nonstop ever since. At first, he was absolutely sure that the Immortals had taken her, and would demand something in exchange for her return, but they never asked for anything. Finally, after a year of dead ends, and no clues, those on the case declared her dead, and the case was closed.

Looking up at the sky, a few stars peeking through the branches, there was now some faded light streaking across the sky as morning fast approached.

_ Dasch! I gotta get back soon! _ I start to get up, slower this time, and my head still hurts, but I don't fall back down this time. I raise my arm to check my watch _.  _ 6:30. I don't need to head back yet, but I might as well. Maybe if I get back early, and rest a little, my head will feel better.

I head back.

_ ———————————————————————— _

I climb up  my usual tree, and slide open the window. I silently enter, and close the window behind me, and carefully make my way to my bed. The light flicks on.

"Hisss!" After being out all night, I react to the light like a vampire.

"Where were you?!" The girl with her hand on the light switch whisper shouts. She's wearing pajama pants which I know means she's been waiting for me, she only ever sleeps in a big T-shirt.

"Out."

"So funny I forgot to laugh." She quips, "Seriously! Where were you?"

I sigh, no use in keeping it from her. Honestly, if I can't trust Celeste, then I can't trust anyone.

"Jeff's."

She gasps. "I wasn't drinking! I was... doing the other thing."

"I didn't think you were drinking," she says in matter-of-fact kind of tone, "I know you don't. I just think that STEALING, is just as bad. If not worse."

"You know why-"

She lets loose an exasperated sigh before saying, "Yes, I do know why you do it, but that doesn't change that it's wrong!"

"I'm not gonna stop." I say quietly, not looking at her, "Are we not friends anymore?"

"Ugh! You know we're sisters in everything but blood, and nothing can change that _ , _ "

"I sense a very large butt coming."

" _ But,  _ that doesn't change that I disapprove, and think that your constant pick pocketing needs to stop."

"I guess I should probably return your necklace then?" I say, raising it in my right hand. Celeste's look of shock and fear, strikes guilt into my gut as her hand shoots to her throat feeling for the familiar chain, and finds that it's missing.

"Dawn!"

_"_ It was a joke, but I shouldn't have. I'm sorry. I should have known better _._ I know it's all you have from..." I trail off, unable to finish. We both stand there, still as statues, and just as quiet.

The silence is unbearable, and seems to hold us both in place.

_Finally,_ Celeste comes forward, and takes it from my hands, and puts the locket back around her neck, having to pull her large, black, curly locks out of it _._

I wish that if my hair has to be as explosive, and unmanageable as it is, it could at least be curly like hers. Then again, my brown hair probably wouldn't look as good curly as hers does.

I gotta admit, I don't just envy her hair, Celeste is really beautiful all around. Her dark complexion is flawless, she has curves, full lips, perfect teeth, and, like I mentioned earlier, she has full bodied, thick _,_ curly hair that is always in natural ringlets. Somehow, she never seems to have any frizz, which is crazy considering the humidity of Calston! Once, when my hair was in a ponytail, and I was sitting on the ground-just sitting! _-_ the pony tail holder just exploded open! That's how explosive my hair is. It's halfway between wavy, and curly. Honestly, I think what's going on with my hair is that parts of it are curly, and other parts are naturally wavy, and together they form the mess that is my hair. It's really thick, and Dad would tell me that Mom used to always say she wished she had hair as thick as mine. Most of my memories of her were after she'd lost it all, after she started the chemo, after she got sick.

_ I get lost in my thoughts a lot, don't I? _ I snap back out of my thoughts just as Celeste pulls her self back into her top bunk.

"The light." She says simply _ ,  _ before pulling her covers over her head.

I turn on the lamp on the dresser next to our bunks, and walk to the door to switch of the room's lights. Then, I walk back to the bed, throwing my shirt in the laundry hamper on the way, hanging my jacket on one of the bunk posts, folding my jeans and putting them on the dresser for tomorrow, and finally clicking off the lamp before jumping into the lower bunk.

Celeste must be really mad at me, because normally when I do this she teases me about being afraid of the dark. It's not exactly that I'm afraid of the dark, it more that knowing I'm surrounded by open space that could have anything in it, and I wouldn't know, makes me uneasy.

Despite the fight, I try to quiet my mind, and drift off to sleep. As always, I find getting my mind to turn off and stop thinking, and falling asleep, both impossible. When morning rolls around, I feel like I haven't slept a wink.

_ ———————————————————————— _

"Prince Hunter? Prince Hunter? It's time to get up!" I wake up to hear.

"Ugh."

"Prince Hunter?"

"Andy." I manage.

"Prince _Andy_ , it is time to get up. You have breakfast with his Majesty in ten minutes." That wakes me up. I jump out of bed immediately, and sway for a couple seconds before steadying myself with a hand against the wall. My head still hurts, so that's great. _I'm surprised it didn't leave a mark,_ I think. _Good thing it didn't, wouldn’t want to have to try and explain._

I'm in front of the toilet, when I hear my bedroom door open. Exasperated, I yell, "I don't need any help in  _ here _ !"

"You sure?" A familiar voice calls. I can hear the smirk on his face.

"James?"

"Who else?"

"You know the servants always want to help me get dressed."

"True."

"What are you doing here?"

"How about you finish up in there before we start having a conversation."

"Aren't we already?"

"Just finish."

So _ ,  _ I finished, and walked out. "Ah, dude! Did you just pee, and not wash your hands?"

"Germaphobe."

"I am when it comes to the germs on the thing you were just touching!"

"What thing?" Andy felt the corner of his mouth raise impossibly high.

"Your thing!" James said, angrily _.  _ Andy laughed.

"Dude, it's okay to say penis." Jack looked at him like he'd grown two heads. "What? Would you rather I said d-" James jumped forward, and put his hand over Andy's mouth, cutting him off. Andy pushed his arm away. "Seriously?"

"You're my best friend, and I treat you like a normal person cause I know that's what you prefer _ ,  _ but you're still a prince, and princes need to be careful about what they say."

"In my bedroom?"

"Do you  _ want  _ to end up on of the cover of another tabloid?"

"I'm pretty sure that as long as I'm breathing they're gonna keep putting me on the cover of those."

"Maybe, but you don't have to invite it."

"I didn't even do anything wrong that one time! _ " _

_ "Please, _ that wasn't the first time you've been in one."

"True, but other times they didn't even have any out of context pictures! They just made up random stories!"

"I still can't believe how that out of context one happened."

"Yeah, and my father  _ literally  _ couldn't believe it. He gave me a long talk after that one. Honestly, when I do something wrong is the only time he talks to me nowadays."

"Luna wouldn't come out of her room for like a week. Our parents would have made her go to training, and lessons, but she pretended to be sick."

"That worked?"

"You know they don't pay us much attention unless we do something wrong. A little fake vomit in the toilet was all it took."

"How'd she make it?"

"Looking for a day off? _ " _

"Yeah."

"Oh, darn it!" James yelled, looking at his watch.

"Seriously? Just say  _ dasch it _ ." James glared at him, but otherwise ignored his comment.

"You need to get dressed! You have breakfast with King Hunter III in," he checked his watch again, it read 8:50, "ten minutes!"

"Shike! I gotta get dressed!" Andy yelled, before  hurriedly throwing on the clothes the servants had laid out for him.

"Language!"

"Why are you so lame?"

"Didn't we just have this conversation?"

"Oh, that reminds me! Why are you here again? You never answered."

"Oh, yeah. Well, basically, this breakfast isn't gonna be just you, and your dad. My dad was invited to come as well as a few other high ranking officials."

"And you're coming because you're apprenticed to him?"

"Yeah, as well as his  _ other  _ apprentice."

"Oh, great."

_ " _ Hey! Watch how you talk about my sister!"

"Sorry. You know I don't have a problem with  _ her,  _ it's just, ever since  _ the incident,  _ things have been awkward."

"You sure it's not just because she's  _ in love  _ with you?" James teased.

"She is not! Plus she's two years younger than me!"

"One, yes she is, she drools all over you  _ all the time _ in training, and two, two years difference is not that big a deal!" By this point, I was dressed, and had just finished lacing up my boots.

"Ugh! We don't have time for this! Come on!"

We both rushed through the halls of the palace as quickly as we could. I glanced down at my watch, 8:57, "Shike, shike, shike! _ " _

_ " _ Language!"

"Ugh!" We got to the door at 8:58, about to go in. "Phew! Two minutes to spare." James smiled in response, and looked at me only to have that expression turn upside down.

"Oh no."

"What?"

"You forgot your c-" my hand immediately flies up to my head, and sure enough there is no crown.

"Shike! What do I do!"

"Run, it's your only chance. Also, stop cussing!"

"Fine, and no. Coming?"

"I have my dad to worry about too, sorry. I'm gonna be on time."

"I can make it."

"Not if we stay here talking, you won't _." _

"Shike!" I yell as I turn, and sprint back to my room.

"Someone oughta wash your mouth out with soap!" I hear behind me, but ignore it. I've gotta get back in time.

I burst back into my room, startling Jenna. I find my crown as quickly as I can, grab it, and bolt back out of my room, slamming the door behind me. I hear Jenna bark, and know she disapproves of the the door slamming, but I don't care, I don't have the time to.

Finally, I get back to the door to the palace's private meeting room at- _9:01!!! No. No. No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!_ I slap the ornate hunk of metal on my head _,_ and pull open the door.

"Ah, it looks like my son has  _ finally _ decided to grace us with his presence. _ " _


	4. Just Your Typical Saturday

"Dawn. Dawn!" Someone said while shaking me. "Ugh!" With that they let go off my shoulders, and grabbed my leg, pulling me out of bed. My covers must be off. "Errrrrrgh!" With that grunt of effort I hit the floor, and I finally opened my eyes.

"Cole?" I asked, still groggy from sleep.

"Umm..." is the only reply Celeste can manage. Realizing my mistake, I'm suddenly blinking back tears. "Oops." I say awkwardly.

"Um, yeah. If we don't get down stairs soon we're gonna miss breakfast."

"Be late for." I correct.

"Please, I'm either on time, or I'm not eating. I will not waste two hours of my Saturday washing dishes for everyone in the home."

"Fine, I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying."

"You sleep like the dead."

"You weren't already aware of that? Haven't you been getting me up since we were seven?"

"Maybe, but even after nine years it's still annoying how hard it is."

"I appreciate you not giving up. Makes me think of the time Co-" I stop myself, "never mind." Celeste pretends to not have heard the half sentence.  _ Bless her! I knew she was my best friend for a reason! _

"Come on!"

"One more second," I say, pulling a plain grey T-shirt over my head, stick my arms into my black leather jacket, and hop into my skinny jeans,  _ Why did all my  _ normal  _ jeans have to be dirty? Skinny jeans have smaller pockets.  _ I grumble in my mind. Since I'm not wearing my normal jeans, my dagger won't be as easy to conceal. I pick some army green combat boots, and slip the dagger, in its sheath, into one of them. Celeste eyes the dagger, even though I always carry it with me, she's still not used to it.

"Come on, let's go slow poke!" I say, poking Celeste in the side as I pass her, and walk out the door. Celeste follows, a hand on her side. "Ow," and we head down to breakfast.

————————————————————————

"Ah, it looks like my son has  _ finally _ decided to grace us with his presence. _ " _ All the eyes in the room turned to me in disapproval, with the exception of the few who didn't care, and James with his sister Luna, who both gave me sympathetic looks. Although, the second I made eye contact with Luna she looked away hurriedly.

I quickly got in my seat by James, and basically tried to turn invisible. "Your ears!" James whisper-shouted, and I realized they were practically glowing. Whenever I'm mad, or embarrassed, or whatever, my ears turn red. "Calm down." I nod to let him know I heard him, and try to listen to the meeting, which it turns out, breakfast meeting with my dad meant, meeting at breakfast  _ time,  _ with my dad. No actual breakfast was served, and I was hungry.

Like I said, I try to focus on the meeting, you know, what's being said, and all that, but my thoughts drift back to that morning.  _ Who was that in the forest? Did they see my face? Did they see my powers? They must have seen my powers. Why else would they have run? Why were they in that tree? They had to have already been in that tree before I got there. What were they doing in that tree in the middle of the forest even earlier than six in the morning? Did that girl see who I was? Was it a girl? Or just a guy with long hair? I didn't get a very good look. She  _ **did** _ happen to fall out of that tree, right when I took my shirt off... _ My cheeks heat up at the thought.  _ That probably doesn't mean anything. They probably just fell for some other reason _ .  _ Am I sure they saw that I'm an abno?  _ That's when almost everyone else at the table gasps.  _ Shike! Did I say that out loud? _

————————————————————————

Celeste, and I get to the "mess hall" with two minutes to spare. "Man, you guys were almost late!" Adam says. Celeste shoots me a glare at this comment. "Maybe, but we weren't." I say in my defense. "We almost were though!"

"Had trouble waking Dawn up again?" Adam asks.

"She sleeps like the dead!" Celeste repeats, exasperated.

"I would've helped, like that other time, if you had asked me."

"Picking me up, and dropping me on the ground doesn't always work." I pointed out.

"How  _ do  _ you sleep through that?" They both ask in unison.

"Many years of practice." I reply, "Seriously though. Dad had to put in a railing on the side of my bed because every night I fell out, hit the floor, and kept on sleeping." I try to think about Dad without thinking about what happened, but it's hard, and the effort causes a pain to form in my gut.

"Dawn!"

"Huh?" I'm pulled from my thoughts by the sound of Adam's voice.

"I said your name like five times. What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing really. What were you guys saying?"

"Adam was like, 'Really?'" Celeste answered, "and I said 'Yes, really,' and that I'd heard that story more than once."

"Oh."

"And that's when we realized you weren't listening." Adam finished.

"What's nothing?" Someone else asks.

"Huh?" I ask in reply, and turn to see Blake has joined as at our table.

"You said you were thinking about nothing."

"And I meant it."

"Su-ure." He replies.

"I thought you had kitchen duty this weekend."

"I did, but someone owed me, and here I am."

"Who?"

"Jameson."

"Figures."

"He should really stop betting money he doesn't have." Celeste remarks.

"Probably, but I don't mind him doing it."

"Honestly, betting at all is irresponsible."

"But it's fun."

"Wow. What a valid point!" Celeste says, the sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Guys, we don't need you to get into this again." Adam interjects.

"Yeah, plus they just brought out the food. Let's go." I add.

"Can you get my food for me?" Blake asks, "If Ms.Grump-butt will bust me for skipping breakfast duty if she sees me walk up to the table. You know she doesn't like it when people trade jobs, and stuff."

"And Ms.Grumput likes  _ you _ even less." I quip.

"True." He admits.

"Fine, but you owe me,  _ Octavian. _ "

"Ugh," Blake groans at my use of his first name, "Fine." He agrees.

"Why don't you just ask your sister to get it for you instead?" Celeste questions.

"Belle, and I are kinda in the middle of a fight right now."  _ Again?  _ I think.

"About what?" Celeste pushes further.

"Nothing important."

"It's not about Gabe again, is it?"

"I don't think he's good for her."

"Why? Just cause he's older? It's not like he's forty, or anything, he's a teen, just like her."

"Celeste, I don't wanna interrupt, but if we don't hurry, there won't be any food left." I was already standing, shifting from foot to foot, waiting for her to join me. She got up, and we walked to the line together.

"Don't get his breakfast for him."

"I said I was gonna. Plus, I wouldn't mind him owing me a favor."

"He's being a total jerk to Belle, or more accurately Gabe, for like,  _ no reason _ ."

"He's just being a little over protective. Big brothers are like that."

"What happened to 'sisters before misters?'"

"That saying is ancient, plus I barely know Belle."

"So?"

" _ So,  _ that expression is used more among friends, than people who just happen to be of the same gender."

"True, but it still applies."

"Okay, you aren't even friends with her either. Why are you so fixated on this?"

"Because Blake is being a jerk."

"And you care because...?"

"I just do!"

"Wait a minute."

"What?"

"Wow."

" _ What? _ " She repeats, mad this time, wondering why I'm smiling ear to ear.

"You like him!"

"I'm sorry, what?"

" _ You like him." _

"No, you're wrong."

"Uh, huh, su-ure."

"You really are wrong!"

"Then why are you blushing?" At this comment, she blushes even more.

"I- because- because I-"

"Wow. Real good solid reason to be blushing."

"Why's who blushing?" Adam asks. We've made it back to the table with our food by now.

"No reason, and no one." Celeste answers.

"How can  _ no one, _ have  _ no reasons _ . If there is no one then they can't have,  _ or  _ lack reasons." Cody argues.

"When did you get here?"

"I had kitchen duty so I couldn't get out  _ here  _ until after we served the food." At the word 'here' he gestures to the table. "Now, why was Celeste blushing?"

"I wasn't." She argues, and to her credit she isn't anymore. I decide to let her off the hook. If I had a crush on someone at the home I wouldn't want someone else to spill my secret.

"Yeah, she wasn't. We were talking about a book. Just why some girl was blushing, because I thought she has a crush on one character, but Celeste doesn't think that's why."

"Really?" Blake asks, "What's it called?"

"It's called: Do you want this food, or not?" I say while holding the tray with the food I got for him threateningly over a trash can.

"Hey, hey! No need to do anything hasty."

"Either you drop it, or I do."

"Fine, I will, just please give me my food." I hand it to him, and the matter is dropped. There is a little awkward silence before the conversation starts back up again, but it does, and it's like nothing happened. However, there is  _ no way _ , we're not talking about this later, and I communicated just that to Celeste through our non-language we've developed over ten/nine years of friendship.

~

"So," I begin, after we get back to our room, "spill. When did this whole thing start?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Whether or not I'm right, you know what I'm talking about."

"Alright, I know what your talking about, but you  _ are  _ wrong." I don't believe her, but I figure it's best to wait to push the matter any further.

"Eh, whatever." I fain disinterest, "wanna hang around town?"

"Are you going whether or not I am?" She asks.

"Yep, pretty much." I answer truthfully. We both know what I'm gonna do if she isn't there to stop me, but I stopped feeling bad about it a while ago. I mean, I still feel guilty, but not as much as I used to. Seeing the look on some kids face when I get them what the home didn't think they needed, makes it all worth it. Like being able to get Kat a new glasses prescription, or Caleb a bottle of melatonin to help his insomnia, really just helping out any hopeless kid here in need makes it all worth it. I just feel like I have to, almost like it's my responsibility, or maybe I'm still trying to repay my debt for what was done for me. It was my fault. I was such a stupid kid! Why didn't I listen?!

"Come on."

"Huh?"

"Man, do you zone out a lot. I  _ said _ , 'Come on.' Let's go." She says from the open door waving me out.

"Yeah, sorry, my train of thought doesn't really have any rails." I reply while following her out the door, and closing it behind me.

As, we're walking through the main hallway of the home, heading outside, Celeste bumps into someone, and I, her.

We manage to not fall, and keep walking, but after we're through the door I realize Celeste's face looks like she's seen a ghost.

"Wow. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Celeste, you're face is practically white, I didn't even know that was possible for you! What's wrong?" Celeste sighs, realizing that even if she doesn't tell me right now, I'll never stop till I get it out of her.

"That guy we bumped into..." she seems to be struggling to get the rest of the words out.

"Yeah?" I prompt.

"Well, it was Matt Cahill." Oh, no. She seems to struggle again to get out, and I decide it better I stop prodding, but she actually manages to continue on her own.

"He..... called me a word."

"Did it end with an r?" I ask, rage is pumping through me right now.  _ I'm gonna kick his butt into next week! _ She nods.  _ Dasch it! I'm gonna kill him, I'm gonna kill him. _

"Please don't do anything," Celeste begs, "or tell anyone!" She adds quickly. I give her a look that says, ' _ Come on!' _

"Promise you won't!"

"I can't even give him a good punch?"

"Promise!"

"Ok, ok, fine." Now, I'm the one struggling to get words out, "I promise." I force the words out through my grit teeth with audible effort.

"Thank you."

"You should tell Ms.Grumput."

"No."

"Ce-le-eeeeeeesssssssste." I plead, emphasizing every syllable of her name.

"Hey, What they doing?" Celeste asks.

"Don't try to change the subject!" I snap, not paying any mind to what she said.

"No, seriously, look!" Celeste replies, and points towards a nearby alley way. There's someone in a dark hoodie spray painting something on the wall.

"Huh. Why don't we ask him?"

"What?! Are you crazy?!"

"I was just kidding!" Suddenly, hoody-guy seems to notice we've spotted him. He tosses the can, and runs away into the alley. I run to the alley way.

"Dawn!" Celeste yells exasperatedly.

I've lived in Calston all my life, and I've lived at the group home for ten years. To say I know the town like the back of my hand, would be an understatement, and if I'm not mistaken, the alley he just ran down, dead ends with no where to go.

I round the corner, and find... nothing. He's gone. I wasn't wrong. The alleyway dead ends, and there is no obvious way out. Where did he go? That thought is forgotten though, when I see what he was painting.

The wall reads, "WE ARE ALL HUMAN, LET'S START TO PROVE IT."

"Abno!" I think, and it's almost as if I heard it shouted at the same time. Then, "Abno!" again I hear it, and realize it wasn't just in my head. I turn to see a small crowd gawking, and one person in particular with a raised hand, pointing, and shouting, "Abno!"

_ Uh, oh. _

I raise my hands in a gesture of innocence. "No! It wasn't me!" I see Celeste in the crowd with a terrified expression on her face. Her reaction, I know, is not due to her believing me to be an abno, it's because  _ everyone else _ believes. Not until I noticed the crowd did I realize how incriminating I look, a teen in a black leather jacket, standing before a wall with a pro-abno rights saying, on it, in an alleyway, alone, with a can of spray paint by my feet.

_ Why am I so stupid?! _

Not knowing what else to do I run. Unfortunately, I run straight into the chest of an officer.  _ Shike! _

I try to run again, but he grabs my wrists, and I'm practically instantly in cuffs.  _ Shike! Shike! Shike! What do I do?! _


End file.
